#archae

"Intelligence shows this vessel holds the rebel forces bio labs."

That was how Archae was roped into this. Yes she specializes in biological weapons, yes she is great at what she does, yes she was the only one of her caliber in the region of space this operation is taking place in.

But that did not mean she was happy at all about being pressured into cramming herself into a boarding pod with the common soldiers and being catapulted across space to some enemy vessel so she could ascertain the threat level of any biological agents aboard the ship and if needed neutralize them. In fact she is quite unhappy about this. Also a bit scared but that is not to be admitted to the world.

Yet despite all her displeasure here she is. Sitting in this pod and taking deep breaths. On top of all of that the armor she has been put in is rather unflattering. Not a problem you would think someone would give much thought to but Archae was already grumpy enough that this was just a huge insult on top of the rest of this.

This is basically a public outing and it frankly sucked to be in unflattering attire during public outings. Especially when you already are slightly uncomfortable with public outings. 

As Archae puts on her helmet one of the soldiers in the pod with her leans down. "First time doing one of these?*

Feminine voice. Tall. In specialized armor unlike the others here. There is no rank or division insignia, just the emblem of the Horde. An ESS most likely, or some other form of special forces. Though the top of her helmet is blank and featureless while the lower half seems to be some sort of breathing mask. They are connected completely, likely the seals are quite high quality. Classy. Archae can appreciate the find craftsmanship of protecting isolation gear.

Regardless of any appreciation however Archae frowns while she checks the straps on her seat. "Shouldn't you be sitting?"

"No I'm good. It is your first time though I can tell." The soldier laughs lightly. "Don't worry just stay in the shock seat and you'll be fiiiiine."

"I am not concerned about the ride." Archae huffs.

"Oh you should be that's when most deaths occur. Once we're in the ship it'll be easy, just stick with me!"

Archae feels herself blanch under her armor. That is not reassuring.

Suddenly the lights in the pod go green and she feels acceleration. "Really though shouldn't you be sitting?" She finds herself asking.

"As long as I'm in before impact it's fiiiine!"

Archae finds herself clenching the straps of her shock seat tight. Not only is she on a dangerous mission but the one person here who's talking to her is clearly insane. Wonderful.

"We call these boarding pods in kind of a generic way but actually this kind is called an assault ram." The ESS continued talking to Archae. Even as the engine thrummed heavily, as the sound of rock and debris clinking against the hull of their metal coffin rang out. She was still talking. "I normally get sent over in an individual scale torpedo and those use a gel solution for helping you survive deceleration. it's very gooey."

"Please." Archae speaks, she feels sick to her stomach. Anxiety, acceleration sickness, both? Likely both. Archae isn't made for this sort of thing she's a good woman who does good work. Good work that is definitely not this sort of work. "Why are you talking to me?" It comes out exactly as rude and harsh as she wants it.

"Oh! The Marines won't talk to me and I'm supposed to protect you anyway. So I thought we could get to know each other before we never see each other again."

Archae looks up with an expression that screams 'are you fucking kidding me?' unfortunately it's under her helmet. She likes to think the specialist feels it though.

"Oh!" The ESS suddenly says! "Impact soon!"

"Impact??" Archae doesn't like the sound of 'impact'

"Oh did you not read up on how these work? We only decelerate at the laaast moment, and use the forward laser to cut into the targets hull! So we go deep!" The insane woman laughs a bit as she hops into a shock seat. Archae gapes. She knew that was done sometimes, she did not think they'd put her in such a craft.

Someone must want her dead.

Before she can really think about that it happens. Impact. The crashing sound of metal on metal. The whine and screech of the stress of impact.

All coupled with the massive g force pressing Archae into the shock chair. Triggering her panic response, making her mind fuzzy. She can do this. She went through training. She can resist this.

Blackness creeps at the edge of her vision. Then they're stopped. She doesn't black out.

"Hey you did it!" Her mad compatriot calls out. "You're still awake! Now's the part where you stay with me and I take you to the target!"

Archae's head shoots up. The madwoman is already standing and readying one of her many weapons. "How are you already up?!" She hisses out

Then she hears some of the Marines with them laugh and feels the vague combination of embarrassed and murderous that leads one to consider placing a mostly non lethal bacterial agent in people's foods. Not that Archae would ever do such a thing herself. 

"Oh don't mind them! You're a science type!" The ESS readies her weapon, pointing it at the front of their boarding pod, assault ram, whatever it is. Then. "Contact."

The front explodes off and all of the soldiers inside begin firing out through the smoke, the rams sensors painting targets for them through their helmets. Archae can see the display in her own but would barely know where to begin with parsing all of that information.

Archae takes a deep breath, and once the initial sweep is done gets herself up. The sooner this is done the better. Then she can go home, see her cat, read, and poison some marines. Archae nods to herelf, sure of that plan, and steps forward to follow the ESS that is apparently escorting her. 

Of course the specialist continues to try to make small talk with her. Archae can only half listen, only able to partially focus on the incessant banter. She does get confirmation that this is in fact an Executive Solutions Specialist. Number 1172 apparently. 

"So that is how I taught Madame's Hounds to wield knives!" The Specialist shouts over weapons fire as she strides through the corridors of the ship. Her aim is eerily good, sort of horrifying. Her weapon of choice seems to be some sort of customized high powered energy sidearm. It's putting holes in people that's really all Archae knows about it.

She knows much more about this monsters love life though and that's somehow making this entire adventure go from harrowing to frustrating. Apparently this Executive Solutions Specialist is in a romantic relationship with a woman of high standing, lives with her, and they have dogs? How is that even fair?

She's a murder machine!

There is also another issue to address. "Why exactly did you teach the Hounds how to use knives?" Archae's frustration cannot overcome her curiosity about this.

"So they could stab people." The specialist says without missing a beat as she shoots a door panel to trigger the emergency release and expertly murders the crew members hiding inside.

Archae frowns slightly. "Must we stop at every door?"

"I don't want anyone coming in behind us!"

That... Makes some sort of sense. Archae relents on that subject. Then she sighs as they continue their forward March. She has to ask. She needs to know this monsters secrets.

"So how did you and 'Madame' meet exactly?"

"Oh! That's a fun story!"

It also turns out that it is a rather long and detailed story, one that the specialist remembers with almost enviable clarity. Who remembers things this well? All the while they make their way toward their objective, the ships bio-lab. 

"So I killed the terrorists and saved Madame and afterwards she took me into her employ more properly. Which of course I was excited about because she's very attractive." The specialist finished her story as she fired into the lab. That actually made Archae wince, firing into a lab with a high powered energy weapon, but by the screams and sounds of meat hitting metal floor it seems the specialist was hitting her marks just fine every time she popped out from cover to fire.

Archae could appreciate that at least. The lab was going to be intact if a tad messier than she prefers. What she doesn't appreciate is how useless that story of terrorist plots and mass murder is. If anything it just sounds like this Madame is equally as insane as the specialist for falling for this madwoman.

Actually that could be it. Unless things somehow got more romantic between them later, which seems unlikely. Archae doesn't care to ask at this point. It’s starting to make her feel sad and self conscious about her own spinster lifestyle. 

Archae files that whole story away right as the specialist impales one of this ships crew members coming around the corner that they're using for cover with her talons. A knife drops to the ground. "Did they just try to enter melee with you?..." The bio warfare expert asks. She admits that seems wildly stupid even for a rebel species.

"Yep! There's always at least one!" The ESS says as she curls her talons and ruins the stupid aliens internal organs. Then drops the gasping sputtering thing on the ground.

Archae finds herself watching it twitch and die with impassive interest. She doesn't know this species. Maybe she should request specimens to be taken back to her ship... Who knows what they could yield. Sometimes even the dumbest and weakest creatures have biology that can be learned from, and weaponized. 

Her thoughts are interrupted by the specialist. "Labs clear. Let's go."

The two enter the biolab and Archae is less than impressed. A crude workshop with improper safety mechanisms. Sure enough bodies litter the floors. People in hazmat suits and some guards in armor. All with limbs blown away or holes in there torso. "You do not aim for the head." Archae notes.

"Oh not with something with this much stopping power." The ESS replies as she scopes the room and sets herself up into overwatch at the door. "Center mass will be a kill and is a bigger target. Always aim for the largest thing that will ensure the kill."

That is again a potential nugget of actually sage advice taken from the insane ramblings of a killer, and in many ways can apply to much of the weapons Archae produces. Perhaps warfare at any scale has similarities.

With a breath the scientist nods and moves to the lab computers to try and discern what is going on here.

Archae is in her element now. Her bodyguard manages to get the lab door sealed and she has gained access to the lab systems. Data poured out, translated into Horde Standard via the access virus implanted into the ships computers

The specialist is now sitting on the floor near the door. Relaxing and bobbing her head to some beat that Archae cannot discern. Music in the helmet maybe? Oddly enough the so far incessant talker had fallen quiet the moment Archae got to work. Training to allow ‘science types’ to do field work unperturbed perhaps?

"What even..." Archae caught herself expressing her thoughts out loud after the fact. She hears the specialist shift at the words. Briefly Archae ponders if it's even worth it to elaborate to a blunt instrument like an ESS.

Then she decides she wants to speak regardless. It should be her turn to get to talk about something.

"They're not... Making a disease." Archae notes. "These genome maps are for a multi-cellular construct, and they've taken from all over."

"They're making super dogs aren't they?" The ESS replies.

Archae turns around to stare for a moment. "No. No they are not making super dogs."

"Oh. That's what I would make."

There is a long silence as the two stare at one another. Finally Archae takes a deep breath and replies. "Yes. I am sure you would." She then turns back to the computers. "No it's some sort of... Maybe a terror weapon? It is an... idiotically complicated genome map. It is not a pathogen I can tell us that much."

"Why is it idiotic?"

"It's too complex. I can see some of what they're doing and there are such simpler sequence combinations to get the results. This entire map is a mess and they've barely left any notes to work from." Archae actually groans. "There is nothing here for the Horde. This was pointless. I wasn't needed for any of this."

"Well yeah duh." The specialist stands now. Archae looks back again. Surprised at that comment.

"Excuse me?"

"You're a lab scientist. There are field technicians for this stuff. You were sent here to die." The specialist shrugs. Incredibly nonchalant.

Archae sputters. She suspected but to just have it said. So plainly. By this woman nonetheless. "And you know this how?"

"I kill people like you for sport it's really obvious. Also I did tell you I was assigned here to make sure you don't die."

"Wait wait... So I am-"

"Caught in the middle of a power struggle you have no part in! Isn't that fun?"

Archae takes a few deep breaths. Anger starting to well in her chest. She had managed to keep out of these petty power politics for so long and now suddenly this.

Then something impacts the door. Archae actually lets out a yelp of surprise. A scythelike talon suddenly punctures through the door to the lab. ESS-1172 is on her feet and raising her hand cannon immediately.

"That's generally not a good sign!" The specialist declares.

"You think?!" Archae snaps as suddenly the door is forced open and a horrible creature made of scything limbs and large mandibles launches itself at the ESS. A shot is loosed, taking one of the creatures arms clean off.

Unfortunately that doesn't stop it. Archae can barely track what's happening. Horror filling her as the thing apparently knocks 1172s weapon aside and the two enter melee.

A super predator and a macro scale bioweapon clawing and tearing at once another..

Briefly her brain sarcastically notes she can't be sure which is which.

It becomes apparent the creature is going to win this melee if nothing is done. The specialist is a honed killing machine but in this proximity most of her advantages are lost.

She'll die, and then Archae will die soon after.

Just like whoever got her sent here wanted.

The rage boils again. She won't die here. She refuses.

Archaes eyes search for a weapon, something, anything that she can use to turn this fight around. The gun? No it’s on the other side of the fight. Some of the tools in here? Can she grab them fast enough. Her mind spins, undecided on her course of action. Until she catches the specialists claws slashing through the creature.

Archae is the weapon.

In her anger and desperation Archae launches herself at the creatures, onto it's back. Her claws digging into it neck.

It howls and Archae realizes she may have made a mistake as it bucks her off of it. Roaring as it's attention is turned to her.

Fear again, dread. This is how Archae dies. In some terrible lab in an alien spaceship at the talons of some stupid monster. She is sure this is how it all ends. 

Until the grey-purple talons of the ESS suddenly wrap around the things skull and one of its arms. Roaring and throwing it into the computer nearby.

The sidearm maglocked to 1172s hip comes off and she fires at the thing. A quiet pop of a 'silent' weapon. Her thumb playing with some sort of interface on the back of the weapon as she fires again and again.

The creature howls, stumbling. Welts forming. Flesh starting to visibly necrotize. It falls. Whimpering in pain as it dies.

"Well! That was a thing that happened!" 1172 says loudly. "Good thing the needlegun toxins worked huh? Some of them anyway." The specialist notes as she holsters said weapon and retrieves her hand cannon.

"I jumped on it..." Archae says as she stares at her own blood coated trembling hands. "I jumped on that thing."

"You sure did! You saved me!"

Archae pauses in her existential crisis. "... I did... Didn't I?"

"Yep! Which makes all of this pretty awkward actually!"

She saved this specialist. Archae, a lab junky, saved this trained soldier from some monster. She did that all on her own and- wait. Awkward?

"Excuse me?" Archae glances up, then her eyes widen as the specialist levels the hand cannon at her

"Surprise! I'm actually supposed to help make sure you die! Isn't that fun?" She remains so cheerful. Like the entire nature of their situation didn't just drastically change. Like they didn't just spend this whole mission talking.

Archae finds herself... Just about done with this. "NO!" She suddenly yells. "it's not fun! That doesn't even make sense! Why did you protect me this whole way then?!"

"Well you were already here so I thought it would be best if you did actually check this lab." The ESS states matter-of-factly.

"I hate you." Archae suddenly says. Almost hissing it out. "I hate you, this ship, everything going on here."

"But I haven't even reached the best part yet!"

Archae just growls, trying to think of what she can do to escape.

Then the specialist tells her the best part. "I'm not gonna kill you." And lowers her weapon with a laugh.

Archae stares, somewhere between dumbfounded and even more pissed off.

"I like you! Plus you saved me so that makes it awkward. Plus! Madame doesn't even want you dead herself!"

Archae takes a deep breath. "THEN WHY DID YOU EVEN TELL ME?!" She shouts, as loud as she can. She’s angry, and the fact ESS-1172 just laughs at her outburst just makes it worse.

“Just because! I thought you’d like to know!” The Specialist shrugs, and Archae almost loses it. Unfortunately instead she suddenly jolts in surprise, and then winces, as the specialist suddenly turns her hand cannon to annihilate the computers in this room.

"We should be going though! Before the Marines find us and try to kill you!" Ever cheerful the ESS starts to walk out.

Archae has to take a moment to compose herself and follow. "If your Madame does not want me dead then why would you be here to ensure I die?" that wasn't adding up.

"Oh! Well see someone asked her for my services as a favor! The person who actually wants you dead!"

Archae frowns. "And would you happen to know who that is?"

"I do! What was his name...." The specialist hrmms as they walk along now. Wracking her brain for the knowledge she needs. Archae waits, patiently considering if she could maybe take the specialist by surprise and kill her. Probably not. Assuming the Specialist is telling the truth that would be a pointless endeavor anyway, and assuming she's lying Archae might just be dead either way. This sucks, for lack of a better way to put it.

Finally the ESS speaks again. "Oh right! Jimmothy Jimjamin Jimchael Jimfrey Jimpulk Al Kordajim Jimberly Jimbecka Jimantha Jimima Jimmanuel jimessica Jimthina Jimbert Jimila Jimmarie Jimimah!"

Archae stops mid step.

(the idea) is uh a kind of jumble of mythology and archaeology+history buuut HEY here goes lol horses are super prevalent all through celtic cultures and very much so in britain , and the three-tailed horse is one of the symbols of the dobunni tribe ; the biggest guessed span of their territory swallows the entire of gloucestershire and stretches between birmingham , oxford , and bristol , including corinium and aquae sulis . it was important enough for the symbol to be pressed into their coinage - often along with a chariot wheel !!

so here is is, the gold coin turned real and surrounded by the chariot wheel in blues for the cotswold sky and sulis' spring :')